Ircon locomotives for Northern railway project
Three more locomotives which arrived in Sri Lanka recently to augment
the progress of the Northern railway project will be commissioned
shortly.
Pre-commissioning work is progressing at the Ratmalana yard of the
Sri Lanka Railways under the supervision of a technical team from Diesel
Locomotive Works (DLW), Varanasi.
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Three officials of
Ircon on the engine. |
The Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) in Varanasi, India, is the
production unit owned by Indian Railways that manufactures
diesel-electric locomotives along with spare parts. It is the largest
diesel-electric locomotive manufacturer in India.
These locomotives were supplied by Ircon International Limited, the
construction agency for the Northern railway projects, as part of its
contractual commitments.
The three locomotives imported last March by Ircon are now in use.
The three new diesel locomotives under the Northern Railway contract
reached Sri Lanka in July 2013. DLW, India has sent a team comprising
nine technicians, headed by Atul Kanaujia, Deputy Chief Mechanical
Engineer to overlook the commissioning and handing over of the
locomotives to the Sri Lanka Railways (SLR).
The commissioning and trial run was due to be completed by yesterday.
Ircon International Limited, a state owned construction firm of
India, under Indian Railways, is executing the 252-km Northern Railway
Project in Sri Lanka. Ircon International Limited started its Sri Lanka
charter with the upgrading of the Matara-Galle-Kalutara railway line in
March, 2009.
The project involved the rehabilitation and improvement of the track
to a modern one with a speed potential of 100 kmph.
The coastal line project was completed ahead of schedule in two
phases.
The Medawachchiya-Madhu Road section of the Northern Railway project
has been completed and has been taken over by SLR, while work on other
sections is progressing on schedule. These projects are funded through
Indian lines of credit.
The addition of three more locomotives will ease the additional
operational requirements of train traffic in the North.
General Manager of Ircon, S L Gupta was confident that they will put
the new locomotive to use by yesterday. |